


Horsing Around

by HeatherGiesbrecht



Category: Crimson Peak (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Brother/Sister Incest, Explicit Language, F/M, Horses, Innuendo, Pre-Canon, Sibling Incest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-04
Updated: 2015-06-13
Packaged: 2018-04-02 19:08:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4071268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeatherGiesbrecht/pseuds/HeatherGiesbrecht
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Thomas was…teaching…her how to brush Charon.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Horsing Around

**Author's Note:**

> Since we don't know what the horse from the international version of the trailer is called I made something up. Plus, it looks like a Shetland from the above-shot since it doesn't look bigger than the cart and Shetlands were popular back then.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know what colour Thomas and Lucille's eyes are but I'm guessing Thomas's at least could be light-grey or something going from the Crimson Peak calander pictures on Amazon.

The scents of wet grass and damp earth filled the air and Lucille’s nose as she opened Allerdale Hall’s doors. _‘Oh thank God, Thomas is back safely. I worried the storm might have trapped him. W-wait, i-is that ? It cannot be, surely this is a dream.’_

Immediately, she gasped, “Oh, brother ! Y-you…bought me a pony. Oh, what a beautiful little Shetland.”

Thomas reined both Charon and the positively miniature cream pony, which was tethered to the great, greying black horse, to a stop. Her brother grinned broadly, doffed his hat and greeted, “My Lady.” before dismounting Charon.

She rushed up to hug…the pony and ran her hands over its blond mane. A soft neigh from the pony as she scratched its ears. _‘Such a pretty little thing you are, yes. What a precious little darling. How much did you cost ?’_

As Charon was rather old, he was becoming of late quite easily frightened. Despite that, though he was scared never of home and its ghosts. Hardly any animal that came near Allerdale wanted to stay, so it truly shocked her that the Shetland should be so calm as well. Charon shifted his weight, bridle jingling as he shook his head and snorted loudly.

Thomas huffed, “Quite right, old boy, quite right, we are being ignored. Truly, sister, I get no thanks whatsoever ? What, did I buy a blasted Shiteland instead of a Shetland by mistake ?”

“ **Thomas !** ”His profanity shocked her into turning around to see his arms folded across his chest. Grey-eyes, that might well have belonged to her for all their differences, were annoyed as she moved to cup Thomas’s cheek. Undeterred, she stroked his cheek before much as she could leaning up to kiss him. Slowly, his arms wound around her while he lowered his head and deepened the kiss. _‘I am not that much shorter than him, but he is still far too bloody tall.’_

Such as it was, they separated and she was practically staring at his chin. Whilst Lucille said, “My apologies, brother. He is, as you are, much too wonderful for me to deserve. Thank-you. How much di-, ah-h.” Charon thrust his nose in between them for patting. Laughter left their lips as simultaneously they reached up to pet the velvety nose. Her blush was mercifully brief, “How much did he cost ?”

In the sky above the clouds drifted from the sun in turn lighting the bleak plain on which Allerdale Hall stood. Meanwhile, from the corner of her eye, she noticed that the little Shetland had started to graze beside the path still looking content, shortly Charon followed suit.

Thomas’s lips quirked into a smile, “Well, I do feel slightly better now. As for the little one, he costed £10 …and 12 _d_ , exactly. Ah, that is if one discounts the cowardly blighter who tried to punch me in the face for reaching the man first.”

“10 pounds ? Brother that is far too much.” Incredulity filled her, her eyebrows furrowed and she echoed, “Punch you ? What bloody berk would try to punch **my** lovely Sir Sharpe.”

“Not for you Lucille as you have wanted one for so very many years.” One of Thomas’s black-gloved hands rose to his lips to hide a smirk and mock horrified, he exclaimed. “Sister, y-you **swore** ! Surely the world’s end is nigh, nigh, I say.”

However lightly it was she still smacked him and her laughter refused repression. “Shh, Thomas ! If Heaven knows not then they cannot steal you from me.”

After a brief smile, Thomas rested his chin on her head and wondered. “Ah, but one is not supposed to swear as such if one swears does it keep the angels away ?”

She tilted her up to press her lips against the underside of Thomas’s chin before she inhaled. Thomas’s current scent being old books, rain, horse and leather, mostly. More so, it was calming which was what she needed. _‘I need him to deal with the outside world, whilst he needs me to keep him grounded from it.’_ It scared her far more that she should ever be without Thomas than to have all of Allerdale’s ghosts rush her at once.

For a moment, she pondered the question before grinning. “Pish-posh ’n your cock they are angels, are they not ? It would be mad if they were offended by swearing as then they would never save anyone, at all.” Her brother moved away to pick up Charon’s reins as she did the same with…hmm, Styx’s reins.

They started walking around the three-storied, blue-bricked mansion toward the barn as she announced. “Brother, I am calling him Styx to go along with Charon.”

“Long as I do not have to pick poppies with my cock call him what you will.”

Merely for cheek’s sake, she swatted Thomas’s backside with Styx’s reins. It prompted a rubbing accompanied by a grumbled, “Beating me now are we ?”

_‘Well, I could, but then Charon and Styx might get away…or watch.’_

The barn/cart storage as they sighted it was an old grey-stone building, which unlike home was not crumbling. It was rather nice to be away from the subtle oppressiveness of the house.

“Don’t be a grumble grouse, Thomas.” Cheekily, Lucille continued, “You do that enough on your own and it is much more entertaining that way.”

Only two out of the four stalls would be in use as five months ago they had sold Verdandi and Valkyrie, Charon’s mate and foal respectively, for the money. Minutes later, they had stabled the horses and Thomas was…teaching…her how to brush Charon.

His hand slid the brush over her fingers, his warmth against her back as he guided her hand to Charon’s shoulder. Soft breathing brushed her ear while he slid her hand along the smooth-furred side. Charon’s tail twitched as she accidentally pressed the brush a bit hard on his flank.

A kiss pressed against her ear and Thomas murmured, “Gently, sister, gently, Charon abhors hard strokes.”

It made her chuckle, “Unlike you, though still you prefer middling ones.” Quite slowly, she leaned back against him, lifting the brush back to the old horse’s shoulder. Really, it was quite fun tending Charon and teasing her brother while doing the same.

Apparently, he was content, well, half-content and inquired. “With all the horses they must have Lucille do the angels have time for…horsing around ?”

She put the brush away with a hum of, “Heaven ? They may not, but I certainly do.” before she pushed him against the nearest wall.


	2. Doggone

The grass rippled in the wind like a short cape as Lucille drew Styx to a halt. She peered into the distance at the tiny, black, shape then looked back ahead at Thomas. As usual, he was on Charon, rather luckily he was leaving the path for the barn. He looked ever so gorgeous whether he sat a horse or not. Oh how the township would damn her if they knew the true depth of her relationship with her brother - they would say she had corrupted him. Whether they were found out or not, neither Sharpe cared even a puddle’s depth for the town’s opinion.

_‘Thomas deserves a more emotional gift instead of the mainly carnal thanks I gave. After all, he has wanted a dog since we were five, a year longer than I wanted a Shetland.’_

Styx whickered as she slid out of the saddle; she shushed the Shetland with an aside glance and soft smile at her brother. Carefully, she crept over the grass stopping every so often when the puppy would look up at her. It was a tiny, skinny creature with near visible ribs, saucer-sized ears and brown-eyes near equal in size. A soft yip as it crouched in the grass wagging its tiny black tail as she approached.

Lucille held out a hand and murmured, “Here, pup, come here. I swear I am not going to hurt you. Come on now, you‘ll make Thomas even happier than I do.”

Understandably, but still rather frustratingly, the puppy sniffed her hand then backed away whimpering at the ghost smell.

_‘This is why Thomas is my only love he has experienced them as much as I and so does not think me mad. Ah, well, it has kept suitors that normally would have plagued me since Thomas refused to arrange a husband for me away. Of that I cannot complain and for that alone I thank the ghosts.'_

Charon suddenly loosed a scream of terror and her heart leapt into her throat. Nothing that she knew of made the old horse scream expect for…adders. Adders were quite possibly the only snakes she had ever seen and even then, it was only twice. The first time Thomas narrowly avoided being bitten when a snake fell from the barn’s oaken rafters.

Immediately, she turned, lifted her skirt and started running back to Styx whose ears had pinned back while he pranced nervously. With her fingers shaking nearly uncontrollably, she tried getting into the saddle only to fall, as she could not properly grip the saddle horn. Too much time was passing whilst Thomas and Charon were possibly injured, so again she got up and started running toward the barn. Grass rushed towards her face as almost immediately she stepped in a nearly invisible hole nearly twisting her ankle.

Annoyed, she pulled off her boots then Styx was nudging her shoulder. Quite grateful she reached up wound her arms around the beige horse’s neck and let him pull her upright. Styx helped her to limp to the middling grey-stone barn, when it was a small bit a ways away she shouted, “Thomas !”

An almost nervous laugh from her brother, “I am well, Charon also, but do **not** come in here. The doggone thing has hatchlings and it is not happy !”

_‘How could a giant horse be scared of an in comparison very, very, tiny arsed snake ?’_

That was one thing which she could not comprehend about the old horse - Charon was not scared of ghosts, but was deathly afraid of adders. She relinquished her hold on Styx and moved around to the barn’s right side to look in Charon’s stall. Scattered across the straw-strewn floor were tens of baby snakes.

Trapped between the stall and the angrily hissing adder was Thomas who perched near precariously atop Charon’s saddle. Charon with his eyes rolling, his ears pinned back and sides heaving looked close to throwing them on the floor.

Her brother leaned forward to whisper in the black-furred ear and stroked the greying horse’s neck. “Easy now, old thing, be calm. We are fine, Charon, easy. Two minutes and we can put you in another stall without snakes in it.”

Unexpectedly, Styx nudged her elbow causing her to look at him. Styx leaned forward across the sill to grab something off the floor. Said thing was the frayed end of a rope that connected to a piece of shattered stone debris.

Lucille took the rope from Styx’s mouth to examine it whilst asking, “Brother, what was this bloody rope used for ?”

In response, Thomas looked up and gave her a wry smile. “Stopping those pesky angels, sister.”

Equally amused, chuckling slightly at the memory, still she shook her head. “Oh, did you tie them up in Shiteland, perhaps ?”

“Perhaps.”

“Now, tell me truly what was it for ?” As she said such her breath caught when she noticed Charon had started dancing around, unintentionally backing towards the adder. Some of the baby snakes were gathering around to look at herself and Styx. _‘What are they doing ? Do we smell that good to them ? Aie.’_ One of the babies had stretched itself toward her and she drew back. Styx shook his head then…nudged the little snake away ?

Meanwhile, Thomas furrowed his eyebrows and his lips thinned for a moment, “That ? I think it was for staying Verdandi you know the temper she had at times. I do wish we’d not had to sell her and Valkyrie they could have calmed Charon. Be a sweetheart, darling, and throw the rope here will you ? It might have her scent on it still.” Thomas raised his eyebrows with an exasperated look down. “If you are so bleeding terrified of the snake, Charon, perhaps you could oh, say… **stop backing up for God’s sake** ! Ah-h.”

Quite suddenly the big horse shook and Thomas was scrambling to cling onto Charon’s neck. Thomas’s hat fell to the floor as he managed to swing his leg back over the saddle’s edge at the same time the adder struck not an inch below.

Half-nervous laughter left her throat, the other half was joyous because months had passed since he called her sweetheart last. In public he always called her by name or sister because something else would be too easy for others to tell that he truly meant it. That had unconsciously extended to most of the time when they were home as well.

Just after she coiled the rope, but before she could throw it a growling filled the air as the puppy rushed into the barn. With its hackles and fur raised the puppy chased the adder outside nails clicking on the hardwood floor as it did; immense relief rushed through her when she saw the snake disappear around the far corner.

Thomas half-grumbled, “Don’t whack him. By God, old boy, you should‘ve been born an ass because that‘s what you are a stubborn ass.”

Flippantly, wanting to put the snake as far from her mind as fast as possible, she asked. “Why ever should I avoid wacking him ? Want to whack him yourself, is that it, Thomas ?”

With much laughter Thomas slid off Charon’s back, “Did you hear that term in town when I was not there ? No, sister, if that term is what I think, that would be disgusting. I would rather be damned for loving you consensually than for bestiality. With you I get wit wrapped in utter charm and beauty. With an animal I would get…well, nothing really when compared to you. Ugh.” Disgust crossed his face while he shuddered then smoothed his hair.

Styx nudged her, lipping her hair before tossing his head in Thomas’ direction. Amazed at the beige’s intuitiveness she followed the horse’s guidance. Not ten seconds later her feet flew over warm grass to slap on the cold wood. She and Thomas collided with Charon when she threw herself on him, wrapped her arms around his neck and desperately pressed kisses to his cheeks and lips. _‘Of course, I’m still too short.’_ A soft scrunch of fabric told her Charon had stepped on Thomas’ hat, it caused them both to burst into fresh laughter.

Happily, she held the rope near Charon’s nose who snuffled it vehemently. The words, “I am glad Charon screamed or that snake could’ve killed you.” left her lips as she took Charon’s reins.

They turned and led him to the next stall, which formerly belonged to Verdandi. Thomas took the horse’s bridle off and echoed, “Scream ? You are surely mistaken, sister, he was too terrified to scream.”

_‘What ? If he did not…then who, what, did ?’_

“Y-you do not think…perhaps ?”

Obviously not wanting to have too much hope Thomas shook his head, warily saying, “I don’t know.”

Briefly, a breeze drifted through the barn. Dare she say it, but almost it sounded like warm laughter. Instinctively, she started looking around, her head felt light as she noticed that Thomas looked about as well. In awed silence they shared a glance that was both grateful and disbelieving. _‘Despite our damned relationship…an angel, an honest to God **angel** helped us. Us, the fecklessly broke and even more untrusting Sharpes ! Our once in a lifetime surely this is it or I have not a clue.’_

It was into that silence that the puppy trotted up to them happily wagging its tail. Slowly, Thomas crouched reaching out and letting the dog sniff his palm. “So, little one wherever did you come from ? Have you any idea, Lucille ?”

A smile crossed her lips when the wiry furred creature put its paws onto Thomas knee then leaned up to lick his face. Lucille struggled to define the puppy’s gender. “I saw, ah, him, her, I have not checked its sex yet, in the grass. Someone must have starved the poor thing. I think it a terrier of sorts, but as we have never seen one, not even in a painting...”

Truly Thomas seemed not to care, he just picked up the puppy to turn it over revealing it as…female. “I think I shall name you Gunnr or Gunn for short since without your interference Charon and I would have lost a most striking battle.”

What could she do, but laugh yet again this time with tears in her eyes ? For the fright they’d experienced even the worst joke was welcome. _‘Gunn, how did I know that he would pick such a name. Per Verdandi and Valkyrie one of our parents held great love for the far North and seems it to me that Thomas has inherited that love.’_

Gunn shortly released from Thomas’ grip walked over to Charon who lowered his head to stare back at the puppy. Charon snorted slightly, shaking his head gently as Gunn licked the inside of his right nostril.

Styx walked dutifully over to his stall, pushed the door open then walked into his stall, which was across from Charon’s normal one. All settled back into the routine they had established of brushing, cleaning and feeding whilst being wary of the snakes, of course. Still the grown adder did not return when they left the barn as Thomas threw Verdandi’s rope for Gunn to retrieve.

For such a tiny, malnourished thing Gunn certainly had energy. The puppy streaked across the yard, came back then circled the rope before repeating the process. Suddenly, she remembered that they had left Thomas’s top hat in Charon’s stall. Therefore, she hurried back into the barn only to stop as she saw an old woman in a dark-amethyst gown and veiled hat stood in the center holding Thomas’s hat.

The angel’s white-hair was loose flowing halfway down her back and an ethereal brilliance was in her eyes as she smoothed the hat’s brim. Without a word the black hat was held out to her. Hesitantly, truth be told, trembling all over, she approached wondering if she would wake in bed when she touched anything. Far too conscious was she that her hands shook when she reached out. It was only at the angel’s encouraging smile that finally she took it.

For one seemingly endless moment there was one other in the universe besides Thomas that she could trust. Perhaps it was because of this that it failed to surprise her when the adder slithered out from under the angel’s sleeve. In a light as the shimmering sun the angel faded slowly out of sight. Stunned yet utterly joyful she rejoined Thomas and Gunn unable to explain fully her good cheer.


End file.
